


Nightmare before Christmas

by Nativestar



Series: Advent Calendar [5]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28094727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nativestar/pseuds/Nativestar
Summary: Mac has been taken, abducted from his own home at Christmas and Jack’s worst nightmare is about to come true.  Set immediately after 2x12 Mac and Jack.  Mentions of character death (for more details please see author's notes at the end, includes spoilers).
Series: Advent Calendar [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035885
Comments: 25
Kudos: 42





	Nightmare before Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Whump Advent Calendar: (19th - 21st December) Nightmares and night terrors

Jack paced.

Back and forth, he walked past fallen Christmas trees and scattered baubles. Broken glass and shattered lights. Torn wrapping paper and crushed train sets.

Mac had put up one hell of a fight. Jack could play it out in his head, picture the path it took around the room. He’d sparred enough times with Mac, knew his moves and taught him a few moves of his own, he could see where it had begun and the dried pool of blood showed where it ended.

Nearly everyone had said to him that it wasn’t much blood, as if that could be any consolation. There shouldn’t have been blood at all. They should be sat in Mac’s lounge, like beached whales from all the festive food and drink, watching a Christmas movie like Die Hard. Instead, Jack was standing in a crime scene, alone.

He wondered how long he should leave it before he headed back to Phoenix. He’d promised Matty six hours of rest but surely she wouldn’t turn him away if he came back after five? He looked at his watch, okay, four and half. Jack circled the room once more, there had to be something here. Something he missed. What if Mac had managed to leave a clue before he was dragged away?

A short sharp knock on the door interrupted him.

Pulling out his weapon he silently made his way over, Mac would never forgive him if he pulled a gun on local carollers, but if this had taught Jack anything it was that you can never let down your guard, even at Christmas. Hiding his gun behind the door, he cautiously opened it.

Deposited on the doormat was a curled up body, he was bare foot with dirty jeans. His wrists and ankles all tied together with narrow ribbon and a big garish red bow stuck on the front of a torn t-shirt.

_Mac._

Immediately, Jack dropped into a crouch, scanning the front yard. Adrenaline shot through his system, and he flipped his knife out, quickly cutting through the ribbon as he held his gun steady at their surroundings. He didn’t know who was watching.

“Mac!”

Nothing. He shook his shoulder, Mac was cold under his hand, his lips tinged blue.

“Mac!”

Making a snap decision, Jack scooped up Mac and carried him back into the house, slamming the door shut with a foot. He ignored the way Mac’s head lolled limply in the crook of his arm. Blood caked the left side of his head and more was smudged under his nose.

Jack laid him out carefully, mindful of any injuries he couldn’t see. Blood and bruises stained Mac’s bare skin and he was still. Oh so still. Jack ripped off the bow, tossing it behind him. He only knew of one sick person who would do this to Mac and dump him on his own doorstep like a present. There was a gift tag that had been hidden by the bow and Jack read it as he brushed back Mac’s hair and searched for Mac’s pulse.

HE’S NO FUN ANY MORE

And searched.

BUT HE BROKE SO BEAUTIFULLY

And searched.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, JACK

And searched.

MURDOC

“No!” Jack shouted. “No no nonono no! Mac, no!” He screwed up the tag, throwing it away as he linked his fingers over Mac’s chest, locking his elbows, ready to start--

He glanced at Mac’s face. Cold and pale and still. Jack had seen death many times, he knew what it looked like, he knew when someone was gone. He didn’t realise he’d started crying until a tear splashed onto his hand.

“I’m so sorry, hoss.” He whispered as more tears followed. “I should have protected you, and now...” Jack sniffed, scrubbing a hand over his face. He took a deep breath and did what he was trained to do, he took his grief and stuffed it into a box, and jammed a lid on it. Emotions would get him killed, and he couldn’t die, not yet. “Now, that son of a bitch is going to pay.”

Somehow, Jack managed to stagger to his feet. Checking his gun, he slipped the safety off and opened the door when he heard his name.

“Jack.” Whisper soft but clear none the less.

He spun around. Great, now he was hearing things.

“Jack!”

* * *

“Jack!”

He gasped, nearly headbutting Mac as he bolted up in bed, his heart racing.

“Mac?”

“Yeah, sounded like a bad one, so I decided to take my chances waking you.”

“Mac?” Jack weakly asked again, grabbing Mac’s forearm, unable to process what his eyes, and hands were telling him. Alive, breathing, _warm_.

“Yeah?” Mac drew out the word, confused. Before Jack yanked him into a hug, drawing an ungainly yelp out of Mac. After a moment, Mac’s arms wrapped around Jack too, and he could feel the hesitation in his movements but right now Jack couldn’t explain. He could only hold on, calming his fears with his boy in his arms.

“Really was a bad one, huh?” Mac said softly.

“The worst.” Jack said, holding on tighter when he thought Mac might pull away, but instead Mac settled further onto the bed, clearly intending to give Jack as long as he needed.

“What are you doing here anyway? Did I wake you?”

“Uh...”

Jack pulled back, looking at Mac properly, at his clear eyes and the dark shadows underneath them.

“Couldn’t sleep neither, huh?” Jack asked, then without waiting for an answer suggested, “Christmas movie marathon?”

“You mean ‘how many Die Hard movies can we watch before we fall asleep?’” Mac said smiling fondly.

Jack pretended to look confused. “That’s what I said, Christmas movie marathon.”

Mac looked almost as relieved as Jack felt, clearly neither of them wanted to be alone nor would be getting much more sleep tonight. But that was okay, after all, there were a lot of Die Hard movies and Jack couldn’t think of anyone better to watch them with.

**Author's Note:**

> For those who need to know before they decide to read: Character death is not permanent, its a nightmare.


End file.
